Multi-pocket specimen bag incorporating easy tear lines for removal of pre-sealed inserts

ABSTRACT

A quick tear open specimen bag for use such as by gloved medical personnel including first and second panels connected along side and bottom edges to define an interior accessible through an open top. A pair of sealable portions extend proximate the open top and are engageable to close the interior after depositing a specimen therein. A third panel secures in overlaying fashion to a selected one of the primary panels to define a second interior for receiving an indicia insert. Gripping lines are configured into each of the first and second panels, between the sealable portions and the interior, and upon being engaged create an even and smooth edged tear to reveal the primary and secondary interiors.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to plastic bag enclosures, such as for holding a medical specimen or the like. More particularly, the present invention teaches a multi-pocket bag device for respectively holding a medical specimen and associated medical literature. A pair of opposing resealable portions facilitate initial sealing of the specimen within the bag. A plurality of closely spaced and parallel extending grip lines extending between the sides of the bag facilitating quick “tear away” of an upper bag portion including the resealable beads, and such as for use by medical personnel wearing gloves and the like.

2. Description of the Prior Art

The prior art is well documented with examples of reclosable plastic bag devices, these each typically including male and female extending and interlocking profiles, as well as a sealed and moisture resistant interior. The use of such bags is prevalent in the known art and for a wide range of applications.

The Taheri, Safeguard Specimen Bag (U.S. Pat. No. 6,149,302) teaches a bag exhibiting tamper-evident features and including an adhesive flap foldable to cover the mouth of the bag to deter and indicate tampering with the contents and including access to a secondary compartment in which such as within which an insert is located. The indicia on the bag is visibly altered by attempts to release the adhered flap. A tear zone in the form of a reduced thickness section (see at 350 in FIGS. 12-14) is formed into the sides of the bag between opposite side edges and, upon being engaged, creates a ragged and open end for retrieval of an interiorly held specimen.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,186,543, issued to Cochran, teaches an easy open container exhibiting guide strips, in the form of protruding beads attached to the protruding surface of the ply material. The guide strips, according to one embodiment, are included with one or more tear strips on a member, which may be attached to a container (see FIG. 13 of the Cochran disclosure).

PCT/WO92/16422, to Levy, teaches a multi-pocket medical specimen bag, again including a single weakened tear line 40 for easy open. The bag is constructed of three overlaying sheets of clear plastic joined along three common edges to create two separate pockets open along a fourth edge of the assembled sheets. One of the sheets includes an adhesive flap foldable against the exposed fourth edges of the remaining sheets for sealing all of the pockets. The sealed end is torn off along a rear (perforated) tear line (shown at 40) to regain access to all pockets.

Sklar, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0217943, teaches a dual chamber medical specimen bag with a single weakened/perforation line 136 extending across each of first and second plies (see FIG. 7). Reference is also made to the Bowman U.S. Pat. No. 5,135,313, Levy U.S. Pat. No. 5,102,234 and Laske U.S. Pat. No. 6,913,388 patents, and which are cumulative of those previously described.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

The present invention teaches a multi-pocket bag device for respectively (and individually) holding a medical specimen and an associated (medical) literature insert. Resealable portions are defined, in inwardly opposing fashion, between first and second panels of the bag and may include male and female biasingly engaging portions, as well a modified configuration utilizing an adhesive or heat sealing flap or the like. Also, a mechanical zipper can be employed. Upon pre-inserting a desired object (such as in particular a medical and/or biohazard related specimen or even a larger sized item such as a garment article or the like in the instance of a larger sized specimen bag enclosure) facilitate initial sealing of the specimen within the bag.

A flap overlays a third panel and secures along opposite common side edges of the three panels. The flap may be manipulated to gain access to an outer pocket associated with the multi-pocket bag device, and such as within which is held a paper insert or other indicia.

A plurality of closely spaced and parallel extending grip lines are arranged in aligning fashion along the first and second panels sides. The grip lines facilitate quick “tear away” of an upper bag portion including the resealable beads, and is used such as by medical personnel wearing gloves.

The configuration of the tear lines is such that they define, in cross section, interiorly projecting barbs and, to a lesser extent, opposite and outwardly projecting points, these further providing a degree of tactile “feel” during handling and tearing open of the bag by a user. The plural tear line arrangement is further such that it exhibits a thickness at least as great as anywhere along either of the main panels, and therefore does not weaken the structural integrity of the panels. Upon the user ripping open the bag, a uniform and non-ragged edge results from tearing open, this being formed between a given succeeding pair of tear lines associated with each panel.

An interconnecting edge associated with the third flap overlay may also be positioned in parallel extending fashion between the grip lines and the resealable portions and, upon tearing open the bag, incises the interconnecting edge for fully opening the second panel containing the literature insert, concurrent with opening the primary specimen holding compartment. It is also contemplated that further modifications of the bag structure may either do away with the third panel, rendering a single enclosure, or may add a fourth opposite edge panel for creating first, second and third individual enclosures.

Additional features further contemplate notching common edges of the bag along a zone defined by the tear lines, and to further facilitate easy and even tear opening of the bag. The exterior facing surface of the first panel further may exhibit a desired indicia arrangement, including such as “BIOHAZARD” and Design warning, and including indicia applicable checklists, such as further to identify a given temperature zone (e.g. Frozen, Refrigerate, Room Temperature) in which to store the bag contents. It is further contemplated that such as a commercial identifying name may be imprinted upon the bag, such as in multiple fashion along its tear zone defined by the plurality of gripping and tear lines.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Reference will now be made to the attached drawings, when read in combination with the following detailed description, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views, and in which:

FIG. 1 is an environmental perspective view of the easy tear specimen bag according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a cutaway view taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1 and illustrating the side profile of the first, second and third panels for defining the individual compartments, as well as the resealable portions and the grip and tear lines defined between the first and second panels for facilitating easy tear opening;

FIG. 2A illustrates a partial view of an alternate sealing arrangement and by which the resealing portions are substituted by an adhesive sealing arrangement;

FIG. 2B illustrates an alternate modification of the design of FIG. 2, and by which a fourth panel is provided in opposite fashion to the third panel arrangement;

FIG. 3 is an upper sectional perspective of the bag illustrated in FIG. 1 and illustrating the easy tear opening of the upper bag portion along the tear lines;

FIG. 4 is an enlargement of an upper sectional portion of FIG. 2, and illustrating the enclosed configuration defined by the mating resealable portions, and the resultant overlapping arrangement associated with the mating pluralities of parallel guiding “tear lines” according to the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a further enlarged partial view of a plurality of tear lines associated with a given panel; and

FIG. 6 is a partial view of a common bag edge proximate the plurality of tear lines and illustrating one or more notches for facilitating easy tearing along the tear line zone.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring now to FIG. 1, a multi-pocket bag device is shown at 10 for respectively (and individually) holding a medical specimen (see at 12 in FIG. 2) and an associated, typically medical related, literature insert (further at 14 in FIG. 2). As previously described, the present invention teaches a quick “tear open” medical specimen bag (of a non-tamper evident variety) and which is used such as by gloved medical professionals in order to quickly retrieve the pre-loaded and sealed contents of the bag 10, such as in laboratory conditions.

The bag device is typically constructed of a semi or fully transparent plasticized film material, such as is known in the art to include polyester, polyethylene or any other suitable plasticized material exhibiting the properties of sealability. The bag device includes a first main panel 16 and a second main panel 18 which are interconnected together along opposite sides 20 and 22 and a bottom edge 24, so as to define a primary interior 25 accessible through an open top 26 (referring again to FIGS. 1 and 2 in combination).

Resealable portions 28 and 30 are defined, in inwardly opposing fashion, between the first 16 and second 18 panels of the bag 10, and typically a spaced distance from its top 26. The resealable portions typically include inwardly opposing male and female interengaging portions, as is known in the art. As further best shown in the enlarged view of FIG. 4, spaced above and below the male 28 resealable portion are a pair of wall portions 32 and 34 and which, upon pre-inserting the desired object (such as again a medical and/or biohazard related specimen 12) facilitate initial sealing of the specimen 12 within the primary bag interior 25.

Referring to FIG. 2A, an alternate arrangement is shown and by which the resealable portions are substituted by an adhesive portion 33 associated with a modified panel 16′, this providing for a permanent seal against an opposing second panel 18′. It is also contemplated that an extended flap portion of the first panel, see as further shown in phantom at 16″, may include an adhesive portion 35 to effectuate fold-over sealing against an opposite outer surface of the second panel 18′ (see indicating arrow in FIG. 2A).

In this fashion, the bag device may provide for a permanent seal in an alternate variant to the releasably sealing aspects of FIG. 2. It is further contemplated that, in substitution of adhesive sealing, a heat sealing process may be incorporated and by which the application of heat results in the molecular structure of the opposing panel layers 16 and 18 being adhered together in a permanent fashion. Further, a slider/zipper arrangement (not shown) may be incorporated, such as in cooperation with the resealable arrangement shown in FIG. 2, and in a further possible modification of the present design.

A third panel 36 is secured to the pair of panels 16 and 18, and as shown in FIG. 2 in overlaying fashion over the main panel 18, along the side and bottom edges to define a secondary interior 38 within which is held the indicia insert 14. According to a preferred variant, a top edge 40 of the third panel 36 terminates at a location below the resealable portions 28 and 30 associated with the main panels and, as will be further described, can align below or contiguous with the plurality of grip lines associated with the main panels 16 and 18.

A flap 42 overlays the top 38 of the third panel 36 and, in one variant, secures along both the side edges 20 and 22 of the bag, in addition to engaging along a top edge 44 (see FIG. 2) located a distance below the resealable (or sealable) portions 28 and 30.

Referring to the alternate view of FIG. 2B, it is also envisioned, as shown in phantom at 42′, that the location of the flap may be moved to contacting, at 44′, the panel 18 contiguous with an outer underside location of the associated resealable portion 30. In use, the flap 42 is manipulated by the user to gain access to the secondary interior 38, such as again for preloading the indicia insert 14. The flap may also include a reduced section perforation line located approximate to an overlaying location associated with the gripping zone, and to further facilitate removal of a portion of the flap constructed according to 42′ in FIG. 2B.

FIG. 2B further illustrates the provision of a fourth panel 43, arranged in opposite fashion to the third panel 36 and such that an associated secondary flap 45 contacts the fourth panel 43 at a location 38′, as well as the first selected main panel 16 at 44′. In this manner, a bag device is provided including main 25, secondary 38 and tertiary (see at 38′ in FIG. 2B) enclosures.

It is also envisioned that other variants of the present design may remove both the third and fourth panels (such as illustrated in cutaway at FIG. 4), and so that only the first 16 and secondary 18 panels remain to provide a bag device with a single main specimen holding enclosure 25. It is still further contemplated that the size of the specimen bag can be increased to any desired dimension, and such that the bag is capable of holding larger sized articles potentially of a biohazardous nature and such as garments or the like.

Referring again to FIG. 2, as well as successively to FIGS. 4 and 5, pluralities of closely spaced and parallel extending grip lines are arranged in aligning fashion along each of the first and second panels' sides 16 and 18. These are illustrated by a first plurality of grip lines 46 and a second opposing plurality of grip lines 48, each plurality of which define a tear band or zone along the bag exterior surface. The illustrated variant shows up to seven grip lines associated with each opposing sub-plurality, it further being understood that any suitable number of grip lines can be employed, between two to infinity, within the scope of the invention.

The configuration of the tear lines 46 and 48 is such that they define, in cross section, interiorly projecting barbs, see at 50 for lines 46 and at 52 for lines 48, and, to a lesser extent, opposite and outwardly projecting points, at 54 and 56 respectively and which face the exterior/outward surfaces of the bag ply layers 16 and 18 (see as best shown in enlarged views of FIGS. 4 and 5). Of note, the construction of the plural tear line is further such that it does not exhibit a reduced thickness (i.e., that it maintains a thickness at least as great if not greater) within the tear zones and established along either the panels 16 and 18 as best shown by the further enlarged partial view of FIG. 5.

Upon preloading and sealing the bag, the inner barb portions 50 and 52 (see as best shown in FIG. 4) associated with the individual and opposing pluralities of tear lines overlay one another in the manner shown. Prior to tearing open the bag, the user places his/her fingertips over the roughened gripping locations established by the outer points 54 and 56 associated with each of the gripping lines 46 and 48, this providing the user with a tactile “feel” and gripping surface. Upon the user ripping open the bag, this being referenced in FIG. 3, a uniform and non-ragged edge 56 (see FIG. 3) results from a tear edge established by guided and ripping action occurring along and between aligning pairs of successive tear lines 46 and 48 associated with the panels 16 and 18.

The grip lines, as such, facilitate quick “tear away” of an upper bag portion 58 (again FIG. 3) including an uppermost section of the bag including the resealable beads 28 and 30 (or any other permanently sealable options such as previously described), and further such as by medical personnel wearing gloves. Depending upon the positioning of the flap (such as referenced in its alternate location at 42′ in FIG. 2) opening along the tear zone likewise causes the flap to be sectioned and to likewise reveal the secondary interior 38, by incising the interconnecting edge 44′ for fully opening the secondary compartment containing the literature insert and concurrent with opening the primary specimen holding compartment 25.

Additional features further contemplate notching common edges of the bag, see as shown at 60 in FIG. 6, along the zone defined by the tear lines, and to further facilitate easy and even tear opening of the bag. The number and arrangement of notches is optional along each of the opposite side edges 20 and 22 of the bag and, in certain applications, facilitates initiation of a clean tear edge and while otherwise retaining the sealing nature of the bag interior.

The exterior facing surface of a selected panel, typically panel 16 opposite third panel 36, further may exhibit a desired indicia arrangement, including such as “BIOHAZARD” and Design warning, see at 62 in FIG. 1. Additional indicia may include applicable checklists 64, 66, 68, et seq., such as further to identify a given temperature zone (e.g. Frozen, Refrigerate, Room Temperature) in which to store the bag contents. An additional indicia scheme 70 may also include a commercial or source identifying imprint, such as along the tear zones (see FIG. 1).

Having described my invention, other and additional preferred embodiments will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which it pertains and without deviating from the scope of the appended claims. 

1. A bag, comprising: a pair of four sided panels secured together along side edges and a bottom edge to define an interior accessible through an open top; sealable portions extending proximate said open top and engageable to close said interior after depositing an item therein; and a plurality grip lines arranged in aligning fashion along each of said panels, between said resealable portions and said interior, said grip lines being engaged to remove an upper portion of said bag including said resealable beads and to open said interior.
 2. The bag as described in claim 1, each of said plurality of grip lines further comprising, in cross section, interiorly projecting barbs which overlap upon closure of said interior.
 3. The bag as described in claim 2, each of said pluralities of grip lines further comprising outwardly projecting points extending opposite said barbs, each plurality of grip lines maintaining a uniform wall thickness of said first and second panels.
 4. The bag as described in claim 1, further comprising a third panel secured to said pair of panels along said side and bottom edges to define a secondary interior.
 5. The bag as described in claim 4, a top edge of said third panel terminating short of said grip lines.
 6. The bag as described in claim 5, a flap overlaying said top edge of said third panel and securing along said side edges of said bag, said flap being manipulated to gain access to said secondary interior.
 7. The bag as described in claim 6, further comprising an insert indicia contained within said secondary interior.
 8. The bag as described in claim 6, further comprising said interconnecting side edges associated with said flap being positioned between said pluralities of grip lines and sealable portions such that, upon removing said upper portion, said secondary interior is accessed along with said item holding interior.
 9. The bag as described in claim 1, further comprising at least one notch defined in each of said bag side edges concurrent with said location of said pluralities of tear lines.
 10. The bag as described in claim 1, further comprising an exterior facing surface of a selected panel exhibiting a desired indicia scheme.
 11. A multi-pocket bag device for holding a medical specimen and an associated medical literature insert, comprising: first and second panels secured together along side edges and a bottom edge to define a primary interior accessible through an open top; sealable portions extending proximate said open top and engageable to close said primary interior after depositing the specimen therein; a third panel secured to a selected one of said first and second panels along said side and bottom edges to define a secondary interior for receiving the literature insert; a flap overlaying a top edge of said third panel and securing along said bag side edges; and a plurality grip lines arranged in aligning fashion along each of said first and second panels and creating a gripping zone below said resealable portions, said gripping zone being engaged to create a tear between succeeding grip lines associated with each panel to remove an upper portion of said bag, including said resealable beads, and to open said primary and secondary interiors.
 12. The bag as described in claim 11, said flap further comprising a top interconnecting edge secured to a selected one of said first and second panels between said sealable portions and said plurality of grip lines.
 13. The bag as described in claim 12, said flap further comprising a perforation line located proximate an intermediate location of said gripping zone.
 14. The bag as described in claim 11, each of said plurality of grip lines further comprising, in cross section, interiorly projecting barbs which overlap upon closure of said interior.
 15. The bag as described in claim 14, each of said pluralities of grip lines further comprising outwardly projecting points extending opposite said barbs, each plurality of grip lines maintaining a uniform wall thickness of said first and second panels.
 16. The bag as described in claim 11, further comprising at least one notch defined in each of said bag side edges concurrent with said location of said gripping zone.
 17. The bag as described in claim 11, further comprising an indicia scheme applied to an external surface of a selected panel and including at least a “BIOHAZARD” and symbol warning, an indicia applicable checklist further identifying a given temperature zone selected from at least one of frozen, refrigerated, and room temperature in which to store said specimen.
 18. The bag as described in claim 11, further comprising a fourth panel secured to the other selected one of said first and second panels along said side and bottom edges to define a tertiary interior.
 19. A quick tear open specimen bag for use by gloved medical personnel, comprising: first and second panels connected along three edges to define an interior accessible through an open top; a pair of sealable portions extending proximate said open top and being engageable to close said interior after depositing a biohazardous specimen therein; and a gripping zone configured into each of said first and second panels, extending a widthwise distance along each of said panels and between said sealable portions and said primary interior, said gripping zone maintaining a continuous wall thickness associated with each of said panels and being engaged to create an even and smooth edged tear to reveal said interior.
 20. The quick tear specimen bag as described in claim 19, each of said tear zones further comprising a plurality of closely spaced and parallel extending grip lines, each of said grip lines further exhibiting, in cross section, interiorly projecting barbs which overlap opposing barbs and upon engagement of said sealable portions. 